get the top three things to know in women's health + wellness, every weekday:

Cancer Society Launches Study of Black Women

May 8, 2024

What: The American Cancer Society launched a study that aims to identify why Black women are at a higher risk of getting and dying from certain cancers. The organization wants to enroll 100,000 Black women, ages 25-55, who would then be followed for 30 years.

Why it matters: As one woman interviewed in the story put it – “Johnes recalled being the only Black woman in the room for most of her treatment. Her experience led her to become an advocate for women of color receiving cancer diagnoses. ‘For me it looked different,’ she said. ‘I was young, I was Black.’”

Source: WRAL

More News Snippets

Pregnant Women and Their Babies Are Suffering and Dying in Post-Roe America

The AP has the dystopian details on what pregnant women face in America after Roe: “One woman miscarried in the lobby restroom of a Texas emergency room as front desk staff refused to check her in.”

Olivia Munn on Cancer, Menopause, and Her Future Family

Olivia Munn talks about her cancer diagnosis, and the decision to fully remove her uterus and ovaries, despite wanting to have more children.

Forty Percent of Women Report Working Through High Menstrual Pain

Shalene Gupta reminds us that unequal pay “is not the only way inequality manifests” among men and women in the workplace.

Remembering Kris Hallenga

The New York Times has an obituary for Kris Hallenga, who died from breast cancer this week at age 38.

Medicare and Additional Scans for Women with Dense Breast Tissue

Medicare sometimes won’t pay for additional breast scans, like an ultrasound or MRI, for women with dense breast tissue, even though mammograms can miss tumors in those situations.

Endometriosis Is Having a Moment, But Not Soon Enough for Many Patients

An essay from Lucy Pasha-Robinson opens with one of the most gripping depictions of endometriosis pain I’ve ever read.

Cancer Society Launches Study of Black Women

A study that aims to identify why Black women are at a higher risk of getting and dying from certain cancers.

What to Expect When You’re (Over 40)

I think that most women remember, and may even still have that book on their shelves, What to Expect When You’re Expecting. …Well, there’s no equivalent of that for women over 40. I wrote this book saying to myself, how about what to expect when you expect to live past 40?

FDA Clears New (to America) Antibiotic for UTIs

The FDA approved a new antibiotic to treat urinary tract infections in women, although the drug has been used in Europe for more than 40 years.

Long-Acting Birth Control and Coercion

A deep dive looks at the use of long-acting contraceptives, such as IUDs and implants.

CDC Warns Docs About That Bad Botox

The CDC formally warned doctors Tuesday about counterfeit Botox that has sickened 22 people across 11 states.

How One Well Meaning Study Led to Substandard Care

The Washington Post’s Leana Wen takes on the menopause study that led to millions of menopausal women getting little to no medical treatment for their symptoms.

People Who Don’t Understand Pregnancy Dating More Likely to Approve of Abortion Bans

Three political science professors surveyed over 1,300 Americans about pregnancy dating.

Arizona Dems Get Three Republicans to Join Them, Repeal Abortion Ban

The third time was the charm for Arizona state House Democrats, who got three Republicans to join them in repealing the 1864 total abortion ban that was set to go into effect in the coming weeks.

What Happens If You Still Have Pain After Endo Surgery?

A deep dive worth spending your time on describing the reporter’s journey getting diagnosed and surgical treatment for endometriosis.

Group Wants State AGs to Investigate Crisis Pregnancy Centers

A progressive group, Campaign for Accountability, sent letters to state attorneys general in Idaho, Minnesota, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Washington.

More Med Students Avoiding Abortion Ban States

For the second year in a row the number of applicants to residency programs dropped in states that have abortion bans in place.

Ten Years on the Fertility Cycle

Writer Lisa McCarty tells her arduous, ten-year journey to having two children. It included four embryo transfers and four miscarriages.

To Talk About Stillbirth

Erin Hirshberg writes a devastating but beautiful essay on having a stillbirth at 36 weeks

Why Cardiovascular Treatment Lagged for Women

A new book covers how cardiovascular care for women was nonexistent for decades, starting with Wiliam Osler, the physician who in 1889 created the residency model still in use today.